


Truth in the reading.

by caitlesshea



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Beagle, M/M, black cowboy hat, palm readings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-15
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-11-18 05:36:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18114353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caitlesshea/pseuds/caitlesshea
Summary: Alex, Michael, a beagle, and a black cowboy hat.





	Truth in the reading.

**Author's Note:**

> I blame @bestillmyslashyheart for this. I regret nothing. It's that damn black cowboy hat.

Alex is happy for the sunshine on his face. Too many days in that bunker looking at everything his dad had collected was enough to drive anyone crazy; he really can’t believe he had managed to get him to leave town.  After a couple of emotionally taxing days, getting out for a walk to clear his mind was a relief. A cute dog barks as it runs up to him, tearing him from his thoughts. Alex smiles as it stops at his feet and wagged its tail.

 

“Hi there.” He bends down to pet the dog who licks his palm in return. He notices a leash trailing behind them and tries to look at their collar to see if there’s a phone number, when they lick him again. He’s so engrossed in playing with the dog he doesn’t notice the person who stops right in front of them panting.

 

“Hey girl. Shit sorry.” Michael says as he grabs her leash. 

 

Alex stands and looks at Michael who has picked the dog up.

 

“No problem.” This is the first time they’ve seen each other since the drive-in. He wishes Michael didn’t  _ always  _ look so good.  He took in the hat perched on his head and cursed internally. That hat just does things to him.

 

“She got away from me. Didn’t mean for her to attack you.”

 

“She didn’t.” He reaches out to pet her while she’s in Michael’s arms. She licks his hand again and he laughs.

 

“She likes you.”

 

“What’s her name?”

 

Michael hesitates a moment before answering. 

 

“Lexie.” 

 

Alex freezes and sucks in a breath. He looks up to Michael and sees what he always sees. Something that looks a lot like love. But also weariness. And challenge. Like he’s daring Alex to say something about the fact that he named his dog Lexie. 

 

“She’s beautiful. The name is beautiful.” 

 

Now it’s Michael’s turn to suck in a breath. 

 

“Found her roaming around the junkyard a couple of days ago and when I took her to the vet they said she didn’t have a chip so instead of letting her go to one of those adoption places I took her.” Michael shrugs as best as he can with the dog in his arms. She seems content to settle there. 

 

“Didn’t realize you wanted a dog.”

 

“I didn’t. But I can’t resist big brown eyes. Plus she’s good, so...”

 

Alex pauses. The dog’s a beagle. The same type of dog that Mimi said he’d wind up with when she was reading his palm.  _ Still a girl. A great set of legs. Tail to die for. And a cute little snout. On your beagle... _

 

“Don’t blame you there. Her eyes are pretty cute.”

 

“Wasn’t  _ her _ eyes I was talking about.”

 

“Guerin…” Alex looks up again into Michael’s eyes. He tries to shake off the thoughts of Mimi’s words that are ringing in his head.

 

“I’ve gotta get going. But I’ll see you around Alex.”

 

Michael puts Lexie back on the ground and is gone before Alex gets a chance to say anything else. 

 

He can’t shake the nagging feeling in his heart that Lexie was the beagle Mimi saw in her reading. There’s only one place he can think of to go to help him understand. 

 

**~~~**

 

He walks into the Wild Pony and has to adjust his eyes to the dim lighting. He spots Maria behind the bar and walks right over to her and sits on a barstool.

 

“How true are Mimi’s readings?” He says by way of greeting. 

“The truth is in the reading.”

 

“Maria…”

 

“It’s not an exact science. But they’re usually pretty accurate. Why? Do you want another reading? Free of charge.”

 

“You don’t need to read my palm to ask me something.” He raises an eyebrow at her.

 

“True. Alright. You’re being sentimental. I’ll bite. What’s up?”

“Nothing. I saw a beagle and well...it got me thinking.”

 

“You really want a dog?”

 

“No. I don’t know. It might have to do more with her owner…” He shrugs. Not entirely sure he wants to start talking about Michael. 

 

“Yeah well if it’s anything like Guerin’s new beagle, Lexie…” She trails off and looks at him. He squirms under her attention. 

 

“Guerin has a beagle. That he named Lexie.” Maria states very matter of fact.

 

“Does he?” Alex asks. “Hadn’t noticed.”

 

Maria is not convinced. “Why would he do that Alex?”

 

“I don’t know. Maybe he’s lonely?” Alex supposes that’s probably true. 

 

“Alex Manes!”  Maria screeches at him. He winces. He didn’t even know her voice could get that high.

 

“What?!”

 

“We’ve been friends for how long? And you didn’t think to tell me about Guerin?” 

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…” He knows this is futile. She’s figured it out and he knows she won’t stop until she has all the information. 

 

“Sex in a truck, smells like a river, never introduce him to your Mama...ringing any bells?”

 

“Uh…”

 

“Alex!”

 

“Okay. Okay.” He holds his hands up in mock surrender.

 

She glares at him. 

 

“Umm. Can confirm the truck theory. He doesn’t smell  _ entirely  _ like a river. And he’s never met my mom. Him meeting my dad didn’t go so well so…” 

 

She’s still glaring at him.

 

“He kissed me at the museum.” He whispers to her. She gasps and grabs his hand.

 

“He’s…”

 

“Yeah.” A ghost of a smile settles over his lips. 

 

“Alex…”

 

“No. No. This isn’t his fault. I know what you’re thinking. I ended things.  _ Again.” _

 

“Why would you do that? You love him?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then why?”

 

“I don’t know. I mean. I do. I let my dad get to me. But I don’t know. I’ve been thinking lately that I don’t want him to still dictate my life.”

 

“I think that’s a good idea.”

 

“I saw Michael with the beagle and it threw me.” 

 

“There’s always truth in the readings.”

 

“I see that.” He smiles. 

 

“So...back to this sex in a truck thing.”

 

“No.”

 

“C’mon. I’m your best friend!” Maria puts a hand on her chest in a mock affront. 

 

“I’m not telling you about our sex life.” He hisses at her. “Besides, we aren’t even together.”

 

She’s not deterred. “Does he keep the cowboy hat on?” 

 

“Maria!” His cheeks heat up at the mere mention of Michael in his black cowboy hat. She smirks at him.

 

“Oh this is good.”

 

He shakes his head at her. Smiling wide and laughing like he hasn’t in years. If he wants to know if there’s truth in the readings, he knows who he needs to speak to next.

 

**~~~**

 

Alex knocks on the trailer door and laughs at the happy yelp he hears from Lexie. When the door swings open to Michael glaring at him he takes a step back.

 

“Alex.”

 

“Hi. Can we talk?”

 

Before Michael can answer, Lexie comes running outside and jumps on his legs. He reaches down to grab her.

 

“Hi girl.” He looks up to see Michael has a fond smile on his face. He uses the momentary distraction to bring Lexie back into the trailer. He rubs up against Michael as he squeezes through the doorway. 

 

He _should_ be worried that Michael will throw him out because he barged into his home unannounced but since Michael hasn’t done that yet he’s going to go with it.

 

He brings Lexie to the bed and sits down next to her as she jumps up and down playing with him. 

 

Michael closes to door and shakes his head but Alex can see the small smile playing at his lips. 

 

“You named your dog after me?”

 

Michael shrugs. Alex takes the silence as an opening for him to lay it all out there.

 

“You know. My cabin sits on some property. You should bring her by and she can run around outside and sit by the fire at night.” 

 

“Oh yeah? And what would I be doing when she’s by the fire at night?” Michael smirks at him.  Alex is grateful Michael takes his olive branch for what it is. 

 

“I could think of a few things.” Alex gets up and walks right into Michael’s personal space. 

 

“Just a few things?” Michael’s voice has gone a little deeper. 

 

“Mmm.” Alex licks his lips and leans right into Michael’s face. Their lips almost touching.

 

“We have a lot to talk about.” Michael breathes out, barely a whisper. 

 

“I know.” Alex says back just as quietly. 

 

He grabs Michael’s black cowboy hat that was on the counter and places it on Michael’s head. Michael laughs into his mouth. 

 

“You like the hat darlin’?” 

 

“You know I do cowboy.” 

 

And then he kisses Michael. 

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Come find me on Tumblr - same username!


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